Being at the helm of a business is a serious thing.
This is the reality of Curtis Hall, owner and operator of The Sand Dunes Restaurant, who has been running the business for almost 20 years.
Hall said that being an entrepreneur takes up most of your time and it requires a great measure of perseverance and dedication.
Looking back, he said entrepreneurship was a wise choice.
His advice to persons interested is: “If you are not willing to put in the time, it may not work out.”
Hall who started the business when he was just 24 years old said he was working in the hotel circuit as a bartender when the opportunity to lease the restaurant presented itself.
His boss was the original owner of the property and asked if he would be interested in leasing the property.
He jumped at the opportunity.
He leased for five years, then along with help from his brother bought over the property.
“It was difficult at first, being a young inexperienced man. I was learning on the job and I had to learn pretty fast,” he said.
Over the years, the business located on the Ermie Bourne Highway, familiarly known as East Coast Road, has become very well known to locals and visitors alike.
Hall said it did not happen overnight but much money, time and effort had to be invested in building the restaurant and getting it well known. He said that investing substantial sums into marketing and promoting the business in magazines that cater to tourists paid rich dividends.
“I find that the tourists tend to seek out places they see on the map or in books that promote the place as authentic.
“It was expensive marketing but it was worth it because it has helped us a lot,” Hall said.
Hall said that during the tourist season and for Crop Over things are good but as usual during the down time it can be challenging.
He said that operating the business he gets to meet and interact with many people. He has met a lot of superstars and he gets to interact with the locals, including several politicians who also frequent and support the business.
Hall shared the fact that a few weeks ago he met Patrick Stewart, the actor who played Jean-Luc Picard on the science fiction television series Star Trek. Additionally he knows some visitors who have been coming from the time the restaurant opened and they return every year.
Hall said what makes his business stand out is the food; the menu is comprised of a lot of local foods.
“If breadfruit is in season we will use a lot of that. We do nice fresh local food. The breadfruit cou cou and macaroni pie are some of the crowd favourites,” he said.
In addition to the good food, Hall believes it’s the atmosphere and the good service that keep people coming back.
Hall said he works very long hours and it takes a lot running the business. Sixteen-hour days are the norm for the owner of the business which is open seven days a week.
He said that though he loves what he does it is really hard work.
The business closes for two weeks in September and Hall readily admits that he misses when he is not there.
